Wembley Masters Day 1, Steve Davis knocks out Paul Hunter in the first round

Steve Davis ground out a 6 - 5 win over multiple Masters winner Paul Hunter. Hunter the winner of this event in 2001, 2002 and 2004 lost out in the deciding frame when a poorly played safety let in Davis for a shot at a long pot from the cushion. Davis missed the pot but fluked it as it rattled the corner pocket and went the length of the table into the other corner Pocket.

'Gutted' Hunter said, 'It keeps happening time and again. The way things are going it's got to be my year for the world title.' The ever fashion concious Hunter played the match wearing a black and white bandana said, 'I've worn it in practice and so I thought I would give it a try. It keeps the hair out of my eyes, if nothing else.'

Steve Davis, also a three times winner of this event commented 'I've been playing well in practice and there were signs in Malta things were coming together.

'That's certainly the best I've played for a while. I got off to a good start, made a couple of good breaks and suddenly everything I'd been doing in practice started to come off on the match table.'

Davis went 2-0 up with breaks of 70 and 81. A 47 break in frame 4 put him in a 3-1 lead before Hunter took the next 2 to level it.

Davis leading the way was pegged back by Hunter to 5-5 before winning the decider and will now face either Peter Ebdon or David Gray in the next round.

Wild Card Graeme Dott makes it through
Last years World Championship runner-up Graeme Dott secured his place in the final stages of the Masters with a 6 - 4 win over Stephen Maguire. Level at 4 - 4, Dott took the final two frames for the win and will now play Ronnie O'Sullivan in the first round.

For the latest on the Masters and the draw check out Wembley Masters Latest

Phill Hayes - 13/2/2005